It might not be a popular opinion, but I don't like spare the dying. It is just a healer kit that takes a cantrip spot. And since my life cleric has a +6 medicine check at level 1, those would only be needed 15% of the time.
*grave domain is an exception, since they modify it to make it better.
It might not be a popular opinion, but I don't like spare the dying. It is just a healer kit that takes a cantrip spot. And since my life cleric has a +6 medicine check at level 1, those would only be needed 15% of the time.
*grave domain is an exception, since they modify it to make it better.
Completely valid point, though Healer's Kits are finite resources that cost money and sometimes you will find yourself in places without a general store to replenish your supply. I think they become MUCH more useful in the hands of someone with the Healer feat, though.
It might not be a popular opinion, but I don't like spare the dying. It is just a healer kit that takes a cantrip spot. And since my life cleric has a +6 medicine check at level 1, those would only be needed 15% of the time.
*grave domain is an exception, since they modify it to make it better.
Completely valid point, though Healer's Kits are finite resources that cost money and sometimes you will find yourself in places without a general store to replenish your supply. I think they become MUCH more useful in the hands of someone with the Healer feat, though.
But healer's kits are barely needed. With proficiency, it's not unreasonable to assume that a level 1 character will have a +5 medicine check (with standard array), which is an 80% chance to stabilize. Put an ASI into wisdom and it's 90% by level 5.
And that is a worst case scenario. You should restore HP, if you can, to get them conscious. That's why healing word is so powerful. And all the more reason to take a more useful cantrip instead.
Spare the dying would actually be much better in the hands of a non-wisdom based class, especially if they don't have healing spells.
I'd agree that mechanically Spare the Dying is redundant with medicine checks, but it's a good flavor option when creating a character. I chose it at first level to reflect my character's faith in her god. If she'd persued knowledge instead of prayer I would have chosen the medicine skill. Also, I wanted to take Religion and Insight as my two skills lol
For a life cleric I cant honestly see you not taking spare the dying thematically, but your free to take whatever you like. Mechanically it really only see's use from grave (both because of range and bonus action nature) or you are run out of spells and channel divinity and there are two failed death saves in play and any % to fail is too high. (if your allowed to act on player knowledge of course) Holding spare the dying as an action to stabilise an opponent about to go down though? thats nice when you need information but the last shot is going to be ranged / spell damage and so cant be 'disabling'
For a life cleric I cant honestly see you not taking spare the dying thematically, but your free to take whatever you like. Mechanically it really only see's use from grave (both because of range and bonus action nature) or you are run out of spells and channel divinity and there are two failed death saves in play and any % to fail is too high. (if your allowed to act on player knowledge of course) Holding spare the dying as an action to stabilise an opponent about to go down though? thats nice when you need information but the last shot is going to be ranged / spell damage and so cant be 'disabling'
Thematically, it also makes sense for life clerics to have proficiency in medicine.
Grave cleric does have the best version of spare the dying. It is basically a cantrip healing word.
In those very specific conditions I would wish I had spare the dying, but the rest of the time, I will be glad to have a more useful cantrip.
It would be up to the DM whether the creature can be stabilized after hitting 0 HP.
Rather than start a new thread, I'll just ask here. Any idea for a god/goddess for a life domain cleric that tends to be seen in a parental role? I don't know the gods that well ^^;
Luthic (orc goddess) of family and child raising, of course you would have to be an orc or half orc, comedy ensues as you adopt orphans and brutally induct them into orc family roles.
Nearly any halfling diety, those little devils are all about community, the family hearth and home.
The elven pantheons sheman-istic head Corellon, both mother and father, which makes Lolths jealous rage at them and her own female first rhetoric a little confusing.
Human dieties - depends on your campaign world. Chauntea might be an option in the forgotten realms, Greyhawk I dont remember family being a concept, that was old school murderhoboing first and foremost, possibly St. Cuthbert? or on the evil side Iggwil, although her definition of family involves her as mother, Grazzt as father (an on again off again relationship) and tieflings demons and magical constructs as children.
Norse mythology has a few, depends if there in your campaign, Olympian has Hera as long suffering, repeatedly cheated on matron of the family who stays with her scumbag husband who cant keep it in his pants and out of other peoples. Hindu has boat loads, dive in. Have a look at the couple that has to get jiggy with it or the world ends. Also features Kali. (hey you may remember her from her cultists in the Indiana Jones temple of doom movie) She is the mother, watching over a child and its parent as they enter the world, and waiting to snatch them when they leave, the mother and the murderer, good stuff.
Or make you own minor demigodling recently ascended, be their demagogue, espouse their virtues through your acts and deeds.
Depends. If you have a high strength, the hammer will probably be your highest source of free damage, but as a life cleric, dealing damage is not usually going to be your primary concern, so you can lay down a less effective cantrip from a distance instead.
For high AC enemies, or if you have disadvantage on attack rolls, use Sacred Flame. For low AC enemies or if you have advantage on attack rolls, using a weapon is fine as long as you have a decent Strength score.
For high AC enemies, or if you have disadvantage on attack rolls, use Sacred Flame. For low AC enemies or if you have advantage on attack rolls, using a weapon is fine as long as you have a decent Strength score.
or high dex if you're a race that gives access to rapiers or other finesse weapons. Like Drow with rapiers. Allows you to use str as a dump stat that way and keep the other saves which are more prevalent at decent levels. Was a nice thing about being a Drow Life cleric of Eilistraee getting to use a Rapier and doing a dex build instead of strength.
Luthic (orc goddess) of family and child raising, of course you would have to be an orc or half orc, comedy ensues as you adopt orphans and brutally induct them into orc family roles.
Nearly any halfling diety, those little devils are all about community, the family hearth and home.
The elven pantheons sheman-istic head Corellon, both mother and father, which makes Lolths jealous rage at them and her own female first rhetoric a little confusing.
Human dieties - depends on your campaign world. Chauntea might be an option in the forgotten realms, Greyhawk I dont remember family being a concept, that was old school murderhoboing first and foremost, possibly St. Cuthbert? or on the evil side Iggwil, although her definition of family involves her as mother, Grazzt as father (an on again off again relationship) and tieflings demons and magical constructs as children.
Norse mythology has a few, depends if there in your campaign, Olympian has Hera as long suffering, repeatedly cheated on matron of the family who stays with her scumbag husband who cant keep it in his pants and out of other peoples. Hindu has boat loads, dive in. Have a look at the couple that has to get jiggy with it or the world ends. Also features Kali. (hey you may remember her from her cultists in the Indiana Jones temple of doom movie) She is the mother, watching over a child and its parent as they enter the world, and waiting to snatch them when they leave, the mother and the murderer, good stuff.
Or make you own minor demigodling recently ascended, be their demagogue, espouse their virtues through your acts and deeds.
Have fun :)
For the drow, Eilistraee is also meant by Ed Greenwood, her creator, to take a motherly role for her people, helping them prosper and flourish in a place that has become hostile to them.
It might not be a popular opinion, but I don't like spare the dying. It is just a healer kit that takes a cantrip spot. And since my life cleric has a +6 medicine check at level 1, those would only be needed 15% of the time.
*grave domain is an exception, since they modify it to make it better.
Completely valid point, though Healer's Kits are finite resources that cost money and sometimes you will find yourself in places without a general store to replenish your supply. I think they become MUCH more useful in the hands of someone with the Healer feat, though.
But healer's kits are barely needed. With proficiency, it's not unreasonable to assume that a level 1 character will have a +5 medicine check (with standard array), which is an 80% chance to stabilize. Put an ASI into wisdom and it's 90% by level 5.
And that is a worst case scenario. You should restore HP, if you can, to get them conscious. That's why healing word is so powerful. And all the more reason to take a more useful cantrip instead.
Spare the dying would actually be much better in the hands of a non-wisdom based class, especially if they don't have healing spells.
Someone with Healer's Kits and the Healer feat can offer some decent out-of-combat healing without burning through spell slots, which is nice. We were very grateful for it in my PotA campaign :)
Completely valid point, though Healer's Kits are finite resources that cost money and sometimes you will find yourself in places without a general store to replenish your supply. I think they become MUCH more useful in the hands of someone with the Healer feat, though.
But healer's kits are barely needed. With proficiency, it's not unreasonable to assume that a level 1 character will have a +5 medicine check (with standard array), which is an 80% chance to stabilize. Put an ASI into wisdom and it's 90% by level 5.
Someone with Healer's Kits and the Healer feat can offer some decent out-of-combat healing without burning through spell slots, which is nice. We were very grateful for it in my PotA campaign :)
Seems I overlooked mentioning it (5 weeks ago). Yes, the [feat]healer[/feat] feat makes healer's kits actually worthwhile.
One thing about life domain - very few if any of the bonus domain spells are not already available just on the cleric spell list. Some could call this boring, but really, it means you’re a cleric’s cleric.
You don’t have to spend your memorization slots on heals or cleric buffs, so you can pick a few of the less common cleric spells. In particular, I’ve found Command, Calm Emotions, and Enhance Ability to be widely applicable to an array of situations, violent and otherwise.
So currently I am playing a level 5 soon to be level 6 LD cleric, I am primarily one of the two tanks, I got the feats heavy armor master ( via human V) which has saved my ass so many times and shield master which has proved to be a boon when I don't want to sling spells as much as I have been as my dm has decided to "leak intel" to the enemy via an escaped prisoner, I also refrain from certain necromantic spells such as toll the dead as they are kind of against the thing I represent as a life cleric (according to the dm).
Every time I tried using a sacred flame, It missed. I do not know if the dm is fudging the rolls or is trying to force me a certain way.
So as far as my stats go I'm pretty solid in all of them so I don't think I will need an ASI for a bit.
So my problem is that I want to be more efficient in melee combat as with a simple 1d8 per round does not cut it for using my one action to melee something. I would prefer feats over multiclassing so that I can have that arsenal of spell slots and only use my slots when I really have to.
Essentially in terms of feats right now I'm looking at two for level 8, Spell Sniper and get the booming blade cantrip
The second is Magic initiate: Wizard or warlock (leaning more towards wizard).
So same idea with the booming blade cantrip, I'm between Prestidigitation cantrip for keeping myself presentable and the overall utility of it is pretty good as well, or something my fellow casters have/do not use so either ray of frost or firebolt for damage diversity.
Find familiar for the wizard, Hex for the warlock.
Any other suggestions would be wonderful. Also, Homebrew content is a no go as last time I used a homebrew spell it was stupidly broken.
So currently I am playing a level 5 soon to be level 6 LD cleric, I am primarily one of the two tanks, I got the feats heavy armor master ( via human V) which has saved my ass so many times and shield master which has proved to be a boon when I don't want to sling spells as much as I have been as my dm has decided to "leak intel" to the enemy via an escaped prisoner, I also refrain from certain necromantic spells such as toll the dead as they are kind of against the thing I represent as a life cleric (according to the dm).
Every time I tried using a sacred flame, It missed. I do not know if the dm is fudging the rolls or is trying to force me a certain way.
So as far as my stats go I'm pretty solid in all of them so I don't think I will need an ASI for a bit.
So my problem is that I want to be more efficient in melee combat as with a simple 1d8 per round does not cut it for using my one action to melee something. I would prefer feats over multiclassing so that I can have that arsenal of spell slots and only use my slots when I really have to.
Essentially in terms of feats right now I'm looking at two for level 8, Spell Sniper and get the booming blade cantrip
The second is Magic initiate: Wizard or warlock (leaning more towards wizard).
So same idea with the booming blade cantrip, I'm between Prestidigitation cantrip for keeping myself presentable and the overall utility of it is pretty good as well, or something my fellow casters have/do not use so either ray of frost or firebolt for damage diversity.
Find familiar for the wizard, Hex for the warlock.
Any other suggestions would be wonderful. Also, Homebrew content is a no go as last time I used a homebrew spell it was stupidly broken.
You necro'd this thread, but I want to help anyway.
Spiritual weapon + spirit guardians is an effective damage over time combo. Once it is up, you can use your action for sacred flame and bonus action to attack with spiritual weapon. You should be doing around 6d8+WIS damage per turn. Minimum 3d8/2 to all enemy creatures within 15 feet.
So I'm doing a campaign with my friends that are all pretty new so I decided I'm going to be the healer in the life domain so I should probably ask questions now... 1 What weapon should I use (1 handed) 2, What would be a few good spells damage and heal wise also should I up my con or dex? I'm kinda new to d&d but I have played a few campaigns so I'm wondering what race I should use
Your starting equipment includes a mace or war hammer. These are STR weapons, and as a Life Cleric you get proficiency in heavy armor (and can start with it) so DEX can be a dump stat if you need one. But having OK DEX or proficiency in stealth might help make up for the stealth disadvantage from the heavy armor. Remember that as a cleric you can swap out your spells every day, so you have plenty of opportunity to try out what spells work well for your combat style (melee vs ranged, do you need to be the tank and deal damage or do you have someone else in that role and you can do support and focus on healing, etc) and with your other party members. Picking a race with a bonus to STR or WIS couldn’t hurt, but really you want to make a character you’ll have fun playing, so if something makes the most sense for your character’s backstory, pick that. If nothing about the race seems to mesh with being a healer, talk to your DM about using the alternate build rules from Tasha’s, or just doing a little tweaking between the two of you.
It might not be a popular opinion, but I don't like spare the dying. It is just a healer kit that takes a cantrip spot. And since my life cleric has a +6 medicine check at level 1, those would only be needed 15% of the time.
*grave domain is an exception, since they modify it to make it better.
Completely valid point, though Healer's Kits are finite resources that cost money and sometimes you will find yourself in places without a general store to replenish your supply. I think they become MUCH more useful in the hands of someone with the Healer feat, though.
But healer's kits are barely needed. With proficiency, it's not unreasonable to assume that a level 1 character will have a +5 medicine check (with standard array), which is an 80% chance to stabilize. Put an ASI into wisdom and it's 90% by level 5.
And that is a worst case scenario. You should restore HP, if you can, to get them conscious. That's why healing word is so powerful. And all the more reason to take a more useful cantrip instead.
Spare the dying would actually be much better in the hands of a non-wisdom based class, especially if they don't have healing spells.
I'd agree that mechanically Spare the Dying is redundant with medicine checks, but it's a good flavor option when creating a character. I chose it at first level to reflect my character's faith in her god. If she'd persued knowledge instead of prayer I would have chosen the medicine skill. Also, I wanted to take Religion and Insight as my two skills lol
For a life cleric I cant honestly see you not taking spare the dying thematically, but your free to take whatever you like. Mechanically it really only see's use from grave (both because of range and bonus action nature) or you are run out of spells and channel divinity and there are two failed death saves in play and any % to fail is too high. (if your allowed to act on player knowledge of course) Holding spare the dying as an action to stabilise an opponent about to go down though? thats nice when you need information but the last shot is going to be ranged / spell damage and so cant be 'disabling'
Thematically, it also makes sense for life clerics to have proficiency in medicine.
Grave cleric does have the best version of spare the dying. It is basically a cantrip healing word.
In those very specific conditions I would wish I had spare the dying, but the rest of the time, I will be glad to have a more useful cantrip.
It would be up to the DM whether the creature can be stabilized after hitting 0 HP.
Rather than start a new thread, I'll just ask here. Any idea for a god/goddess for a life domain cleric that tends to be seen in a parental role? I don't know the gods that well ^^;
Luthic (orc goddess) of family and child raising, of course you would have to be an orc or half orc, comedy ensues as you adopt orphans and brutally induct them into orc family roles.
Nearly any halfling diety, those little devils are all about community, the family hearth and home.
The elven pantheons sheman-istic head Corellon, both mother and father, which makes Lolths jealous rage at them and her own female first rhetoric a little confusing.
Human dieties - depends on your campaign world. Chauntea might be an option in the forgotten realms, Greyhawk I dont remember family being a concept, that was old school murderhoboing first and foremost, possibly St. Cuthbert? or on the evil side Iggwil, although her definition of family involves her as mother, Grazzt as father (an on again off again relationship) and tieflings demons and magical constructs as children.
Norse mythology has a few, depends if there in your campaign, Olympian has Hera as long suffering, repeatedly cheated on matron of the family who stays with her scumbag husband who cant keep it in his pants and out of other peoples. Hindu has boat loads, dive in. Have a look at the couple that has to get jiggy with it or the world ends. Also features Kali. (hey you may remember her from her cultists in the Indiana Jones temple of doom movie) She is the mother, watching over a child and its parent as they enter the world, and waiting to snatch them when they leave, the mother and the murderer, good stuff.
Or make you own minor demigodling recently ascended, be their demagogue, espouse their virtues through your acts and deeds.
Have fun :)
should I use my hammer or spells more?
Depends. If you have a high strength, the hammer will probably be your highest source of free damage, but as a life cleric, dealing damage is not usually going to be your primary concern, so you can lay down a less effective cantrip from a distance instead.
For high AC enemies, or if you have disadvantage on attack rolls, use Sacred Flame. For low AC enemies or if you have advantage on attack rolls, using a weapon is fine as long as you have a decent Strength score.
or high dex if you're a race that gives access to rapiers or other finesse weapons. Like Drow with rapiers. Allows you to use str as a dump stat that way and keep the other saves which are more prevalent at decent levels. Was a nice thing about being a Drow Life cleric of Eilistraee getting to use a Rapier and doing a dex build instead of strength.
For the drow, Eilistraee is also meant by Ed Greenwood, her creator, to take a motherly role for her people, helping them prosper and flourish in a place that has become hostile to them.
Someone with Healer's Kits and the Healer feat can offer some decent out-of-combat healing without burning through spell slots, which is nice. We were very grateful for it in my PotA campaign :)
Seems I overlooked mentioning it (5 weeks ago). Yes, the [feat]healer[/feat] feat makes healer's kits actually worthwhile.
One thing about life domain - very few if any of the bonus domain spells are not already available just on the cleric spell list. Some could call this boring, but really, it means you’re a cleric’s cleric.
You don’t have to spend your memorization slots on heals or cleric buffs, so you can pick a few of the less common cleric spells. In particular, I’ve found Command, Calm Emotions, and Enhance Ability to be widely applicable to an array of situations, violent and otherwise.
So currently I am playing a level 5 soon to be level 6 LD cleric, I am primarily one of the two tanks, I got the feats heavy armor master ( via human V) which has saved my ass so many times and shield master which has proved to be a boon when I don't want to sling spells as much as I have been as my dm has decided to "leak intel" to the enemy via an escaped prisoner, I also refrain from certain necromantic spells such as toll the dead as they are kind of against the thing I represent as a life cleric (according to the dm).
Every time I tried using a sacred flame, It missed. I do not know if the dm is fudging the rolls or is trying to force me a certain way.
So as far as my stats go I'm pretty solid in all of them so I don't think I will need an ASI for a bit.
So my problem is that I want to be more efficient in melee combat as with a simple 1d8 per round does not cut it for using my one action to melee something. I would prefer feats over multiclassing so that I can have that arsenal of spell slots and only use my slots when I really have to.
Essentially in terms of feats right now I'm looking at two for level 8, Spell Sniper and get the booming blade cantrip
The second is Magic initiate: Wizard or warlock (leaning more towards wizard).
So same idea with the booming blade cantrip, I'm between Prestidigitation cantrip for keeping myself presentable and the overall utility of it is pretty good as well, or something my fellow casters have/do not use so either ray of frost or firebolt for damage diversity.
Find familiar for the wizard, Hex for the warlock.
Any other suggestions would be wonderful. Also, Homebrew content is a no go as last time I used a homebrew spell it was stupidly broken.
You necro'd this thread, but I want to help anyway.
Spiritual weapon + spirit guardians is an effective damage over time combo. Once it is up, you can use your action for sacred flame and bonus action to attack with spiritual weapon. You should be doing around 6d8+WIS damage per turn. Minimum 3d8/2 to all enemy creatures within 15 feet.
So I'm doing a campaign with my friends that are all pretty new so I decided I'm going to be the healer in the life domain so I should probably ask questions now... 1 What weapon should I use (1 handed) 2, What would be a few good spells damage and heal wise also should I up my con or dex? I'm kinda new to d&d but I have played a few campaigns so I'm wondering what race I should use
Your starting equipment includes a mace or war hammer. These are STR weapons, and as a Life Cleric you get proficiency in heavy armor (and can start with it) so DEX can be a dump stat if you need one. But having OK DEX or proficiency in stealth might help make up for the stealth disadvantage from the heavy armor. Remember that as a cleric you can swap out your spells every day, so you have plenty of opportunity to try out what spells work well for your combat style (melee vs ranged, do you need to be the tank and deal damage or do you have someone else in that role and you can do support and focus on healing, etc) and with your other party members. Picking a race with a bonus to STR or WIS couldn’t hurt, but really you want to make a character you’ll have fun playing, so if something makes the most sense for your character’s backstory, pick that. If nothing about the race seems to mesh with being a healer, talk to your DM about using the alternate build rules from Tasha’s, or just doing a little tweaking between the two of you.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep